Woman thought online admirer was hiding a girlfriend when he asked to switch to Snapchat — his secret had the feds on his tail
Federal authorities say at least 26 victims have been identified.
Online dating can feel like navigating a minefield of mixed signals, but one innocent match quickly spiraled into a headline-grabbing story. What started as a promising connection took a suspicious turn when a charming admirer abruptly asked to switch the conversation over to Snapchat, leaving his match convinced he was hiding another girlfriend. However, as detailed in the CBS News report, his secret wasn't a hidden romance at all. It was an alleged $1.3 million fraud scheme that had the feds on his tail. The story was originally shared by the victim herself on the Tamron Hall Show (@tamronhallshow) on October 2, 2026. One of the interview clips has now gone viral with 279 likes and 97 reshares.
Switch to Snapchat, please?
The dynamic started innocently enough on a popular dating platform before taking a bizarre twist. The charming match flashed signs of high-rolling success, dropping hints about lavish investments and elite circles. But the vibe shifted the moment he pressed to leave the app. He insisted that she switch to Snapchat. Feeling uneasy, she thought he was hiding her from his girlfriend. But she still switched to the other app where he started to send her video snaps now and then.
Fake romance and fake wealth
Behind the slick profile pictures and smooth digital promises lay a massive federal fraud investigation. Law enforcement officials revealed that the charming suitor was actually Daejon Love, a 35-year-old Sacramento County man. Federal prosecutors allege that Love and 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan carried out a romance-and-investment fraud scheme, posing as a wealthy real estate investor and a professional San Francisco 49ers football player.
Federal authorities say at least 26 victims have been identified, many of whom met Love through dating apps or believed they were in romantic relationships with him. Prosecutors allege the scheme brought in about $1.3 million, with some of the money spent on travel, expensive cars, clothing and jewelry to fund his luxury lifestyle.
Money down the drain
The threat of digital deception spreads rapidly across the United States. Research from McAfee's Online Dating & Romance Scams Study shows that 15% of American adults, roughly 1 in 7, have lost money to online romance scams. Out of all the people who lost money in this scam, 24% were able to recover it.
'She fell for that?'
Netizens in the comment section pointed out the obvious warning signs, calling out his oversharing and outlandish excuses as immediate red flags. @hottt_soccer_mom reacted with, "Yikes," while @mh_randle wrote, "The red flag was that grocery list of lies. Like bruh who’s believing this list?" Another commenter, @glamsensedivasbeautybar, mocked one detail in his story: "Lol that trick couldn't catch me...because his roof too low."
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